


A little bit every day

by ChoAyako



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (sort of), 5+1 Things, Character Study, First Kiss, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Slice of Life, Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24790780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChoAyako/pseuds/ChoAyako
Summary: Somehow, it clicks in that moment how strange it is. Tobio has never been a particularly physical person, although that might have been because nobody aside from his family has ever attempted to touch him casually. He doesn’t mind contact, but he rarely is the one to seek it. With Hinata, however, it’s different. With him, physicality becomes his default response, something he ends up doing without thinking, and it is weird how not-weird it feels.Five times they touched as friends, and one time they touched as something more.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 8
Kudos: 205
Collections: Kagehina Week 2020





	A little bit every day

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I somehow managed to finish this in time and I'm really really glad I did. I've wanted to write something about kagehina touching constantly for a while now, and a 5+1 fic for even longer, so this was the perfect occasion. 
> 
> Part I is set during the first Karasuno vs Seijoh official match, and some lines I used were adapted from those used in the anime to make the narration flow more smoothly. 
> 
> A very big thank you to everyone who has supported me while I wrote this like a crazy person in the last few days, and to all the people sharing Haikyuu with me. Special thanks to Essie for looking over this with very little notice and fixing my grammar, so that I could publish it in time for day 4 of kagehina week.
> 
> Enjoy!

**I.**

The game is overwhelming in a way Tobio couldn’t have anticipated.

He had expected Aoba Johsai to work like a well oiled machine. He had expected Iwaizumi’s powerful spikes. He had expected Oikawa’s killer serves, the work they would have to put into bumping them; he had expected tricky, intelligent plays, and Oikawa’s personal jabs. To an extent, he had also expected to be put on the spot, picked on, and forced not only to compete - that one is expected, of course, and as natural as breathing for him - but to compare himself to someone he wants so desperately to surpass. 

He hadn’t expected to panic. Falling back into bad habits had been a natural progression from that, being benched even more so. The weight of his own misjudgement - he thought he was _better_ now, not only by himself but as a team player - sits heavily on his chest, mixing with the sinking feeling he felt as Sugawara got subbed in his place, and that still hasn’t let up completely. 

Tobio hadn’t expected to get benched, even if the threat and fear of it always sits somewhere in the corner of his mind, urging him to get better, play _faster_ , ramp up more points to get the opportunity to stay on the court more. That last middle school game has a way of sneaking up on him when he least expects it, and in ways he doesn’t always understand. 

Tobio really hadn’t expected to get benched, but even more than that, he hadn’t expected it to feel like this. 

_It’s not the end of the world_. 

It doesn’t feel like he’s no longer needed. His teammates are not berating him; instead, they’re offering advice. It’s surprising, and it feels good.

_The points we score when I’m out there, and the points we score when you are out there, they’re both points that Karasuno scores,_ Sugawara had said. _I know I’ve got you right there behind me, and that’s incredibly reassuring._

Tobio is learning. 

Ever so slowly, the fist that seemed clenched around his stomach is loosening. He watches the plays both teams are making, but he watches Sugawara especially. He notices the ways where they differ; he seeks ways to improve.

“See?” Hinata says, a line of heat and restless energy to his left. “Sugawara-san really compliments us a whole lot whenever we score points.”

Tobio dismisses the information as unnecessary, at the beginning - he can see it clearly by himself, and doesn’t think much of it. Sugawara and him are very different people, it goes without saying that they wouldn’t behave in the same way. Then Ennoshita speaks, once again shifting Tobio’s whole perspective and opening his eyes in the span of a handful of minutes.

“He isn’t doing that just to be friendly and supportive, you know. He’s also checking how they’re reacting, how they’re feeling, that kind of stuff.”

It’s… not really something he would have figured by himself. Tobio has never been good at communicating with other people - his words are either too harsh or not clear enough, depending on whether he is on the court or out of it, and what happened at Kitagawa Daiichi has made him self-conscious when it comes to his own words and expectations. He doesn’t really see how words could help him; moreover, the idea of him having to cater to Tsukishima’s needs doesn’t really seem like an appealing one.

“‘Why do I have to match what I do with how others are feeling, especially Tsukishima, that jerk?’, is what’s written on your face.” 

Tobio jerks at Ennoshita’s remarks, feeling heat rise to his cheeks at the sudden exposure.

“That’s not what--”

Hinata snorts, and Tobio moves without thinking. It’s been happening a lot more lately - he pushes, and Hinata pushes back and provokes him and Tobio’s hands itch with the need to do _something_. Said something turns out to be some form of hair pulling or grabbing more often than not. He doesn’t connect now, but this also isn’t new: Hinata has gotten way better at dodging him. Except this time he doesn’t dodge; this time, there are fingers sliding in between his own and a hand wrapped around his other wrist, halting his momentum and keeping him still. It feels just as normal as them yelling at each other.

Somehow, it clicks in that moment how strange it is. Tobio has never been a particularly physical person, although that might have been because nobody aside from his family has ever attempted to touch him casually. He doesn’t mind contact, but he rarely is the one to seek it. With Hinata, however, it’s different. With him, physicality becomes his default response, something he ends up doing without thinking, and it is weird how not-weird it feels. 

It’s a brief realization, one that gets pushed to the corner of his mind as the moment passes and Ennoshita keeps talking, explaining, and Tobio’s attention is once again caught by what’s happening on the court and the opportunity to learn.

Hinata’s hands slip away from his own with the same ease with which they grabbed them some moments ago. He stays close, however, vibrating with excitement as he waits for his turn to get back on the court. 

Tobio feels that excitement as his own. 

  
  
  
  


**II.**

The roaring of the crowd is still fresh in Tobio’s mind.

It’s like some of the energy that permeated the Tokyo Gymnasium has seeped into his bones, filling his ears with endless cheers even now, as the soft noise of the bus mixes with the chattering of the other Karasuno players. He can still feel the exhilaration of playing on the national stage against incredibly skilled people, surrounded by teammates whom he trusts and that trust him in return, and that are ready to match him step by step. 

It’s different from the other times they got back from a match, or even from the training camps. Those times, usually, everyone is too tired to even attempt speaking, and the silence gets filled soon enough with soft snoring and even softer breathing. They haven’t played at all in the last two days, however, which results in everyone being more than awake and willing to chat. 

Well, almost everyone.

Hinata is sitting to his right, expression uncharacteristically pensive and gaze fixed on the changing scenery outside of the bus window - there’s a sort of quiet concentration around him that is rare but not really unusual. His fever had gone down considerably after a full night of sleep and some medicine, and an entire day of bedrest on top of that had done the trick, allowing him to sit on the stands with the rest of the team to watch Fukurodani play in the finals. Tobio knows there is something brewing on his mind, but he doesn’t feel the need to ask about it. They both have a lot of things to think about, after this first dip into the national tournaments. 

The sting of defeat is still fresh, but the cool plays they managed to see have renewed everyone’s excitement, too, and their will to improve. Nishinoya and Tanaka are talking about Bokuto’s spikes somewhere behind him, Kinoshita is talking with Yamaguchi, probably exchanging tips on how to improve their serves, the third years are chatting quietly some seats in front of him, and even Tsukishima is quietly watching replays of the Kamomedai match on his phone. Tobio is in the middle of thinking about their match against Inarizaki - about the sheer amount of things he managed to learn and understand in the span on three sets, and especially about the qualities of Miya-san’s setting - when he feels a soft weight lean against his side. 

He turns, a frown plastered on his face and an insult ready on his lips ( _“Ohi, dumbass, stop invading my seat”_ ), but the words don’t even come out of his mouth. Hinata must have fallen asleep while Tobio’s mind was busy wandering, and the gentle jostling of the bus has tilted his body towards the left. Tobio’s shoulder just happens to be at the right height for the dumbass’ head to rest on. 

Tobio stiffens for the entirety of two seconds, suddenly embarrassed, already expecting Tsukishima’s snide remarks; but Tsukishima is too busy to notice them, and everyone else either is too or doesn’t care. Technically, Tobio could still wake him up, trade some good-natured insults with him, and go back to think about ways to improve his setting as if nothing has happened; but there are still dark circles under Hinata’s eyes, his body evidently weakened by the fever, and the picture of him falling back on the court, unable to stand on his feet, is still way too fresh on Tobio’s mind. 

Slowly, with a tired - and absolutely not fond - exhale, he relaxes. 

This isn’t the first time that Hinata has fallen asleep on his shoulder on their way back from tournaments, but it is the first time that he has done so with Tobio still awake. He doesn’t remember much about the other occasions aside from waking up with drool drying on his sweater, and yelling at Hinata for it. Now, however, he’s way too aware of a number of things. 

How soft Hinata’s breathing is, for once, despite the bone-deep tiredness he must still be feeling after pushing his body past his limits; how his hair tickles the underside of Tobio’s jaw in a way that is, frankly, irritating; and how warm his body feels against his own. It’s not the feverish heat that he felt two days ago when he grasped his hands on the court, thankfully (the last thing he needs is to catch something too), but it’s still very much noticeable and very difficult to ignore. 

It’s… oddly comforting. Pleasant. 

The thought brings another frown to Tobio’s forehead, and he briefly considers the option of waking Hinata up again - fever and exhaustion be damned, it’s not his fault the dumbass cannot take proper care of himself - only to relent again in the end. It would be too much of a pain anyway: they would start yelling and then Daichi would get mad and they would end up getting yelled at by Ukai too. 

Yeah, definitely better to just let him sleep. 

He sighs, tilting his head back and closing his eyes, mentally recalling the rallies of their games, carrying mental simulations of what he could have done differently, what he could have done better. Trying to identify where he is lacking.

By the time the bus arrives in Miyagi and pulls up in the Karasuno parking lot, Tobio is snoring softly too, his head pillowed on Hinata’s own. 

  
  
  
  


**III.**

Tobio weighs the volleyball in his hands, spinning it with well practiced ease before throwing it in the air. The ball flies neatly and fast to the other side of the court, curving at the last moment towards the side line, but Nishinoya is under it before it can hit the floor. He staggers, rolling sideways to regain his feet, but the ball still goes up in a perfect curve to the setter position. Damn it. 

“Nice serve, Kageyama!!” Nishinoya shouts, with way too much excitement.

“Nice receive,” Tobio calls back, in a much more normal volume.

There are some awestruck exclamations - mainly from the new first years and Hinata, who never fails to be amazed at the libero’s skills. Not that Tobio can fault him, since Nishinoya is an incredible player. It’s very good practice, trying to score a service ace off of him. 

“Oi, stop making a fuss!” Ukai barks, and everyone simultaneously stands to attention. “Get back to practice!” 

He doesn’t have to repeat himself twice. 

Serving practice is intimately familiar to Tobio - he’s spent countless hours doing just that in middle school, when noone was willing to stay after hours to practice more, and then when noone was willing to practice with him at all. It’s comforting, in a way, and relaxing despite the physical demands: a precise series of motions with a clear goal in mind, with no need to pay attention to anything other than his own movements, the trajectory that the ball must take. 

Tobio jumps, and hits, and the ball rockets to the other side of the court. Rinse and repeat. The noise of everyone’s serves and the occasional compliment is a familiar background, one that he can tune out without problems. 

A squeak to his right breaks his concentration, and he turns just in time to see Hinata spectacularly fail a jump serve.

“What the hell was that, dumbass?”

Hinata’s face is crimson as he shouts a “None of your business, Bakageyama!” that Tobio promptly ignores, marching up to where he is gathering another ball.

“You know you have to improve your normal serves before you can try one of those. You may be able to get basically all of them in bounds now but they’re still ridiculously easy to bump!”

“Jeez, cut me some slack okay?! I just wanted to try!”

Tobio stares at him, frowning. “Dumbass.”

Hinata stares back, deadpan. “You really need to improve your insults, you know.”

A hand clamps down on his and Hinata’s shoulder before Tobio can even attempt to grab that annoying mop of orange hair. 

“Guys,” their captain says, a very not reassuring smile on his face. “Get back to practice.”

Ennoshita is not as scary as Daichi was - he has never locked Tobio outside the gym and threatened to make him play as something other than setter at the very least - but it’s a close call, and he really doesn’t want to try his patience. Hinata is apparently of the same mind, because they both reply with a strong “yes, captain!” and go back to their respective positions without trying anything else. 

By the time Ukai calls for a break, Tobio has worked up a good sweat and is also in dire need of some water. Amazingly, Yachi is ready with a bottle and an easy smile before he can even ask for it, and he thanks her silently with a nod of his head. She dances away to offer the same treatment to the other players, and Tobio has a moment to wonder when exactly she gained that confidence in her steps as opposed to the anxious shuffling she did a year ago, when she was still hiding behind Shimizu. It occurs to him that it’s not something he would have noticed back then, either: he’s never been good at picking up social clues to begin with, but having to observe and understand his teammates on the court has somehow helped him a little bit outside of it, too - at least, when he actively makes an effort to do so. Yachi counts as a friend at this point, so he doesn’t really mind the extra work.

He spots Hinata near the door, bottle of water in one hand and phone in the other, typing something with way too much force. He frowns, curious despite himself, promptly making his way there and digging his chin into the top of Hinata’s head as he tries to squint at his phone. 

“Ohi!” Hinata jolts, taken by surprise, and tries to elbow him in the gut. Tobio grunts but doesn't relent, unceremoniously leaning more of his weight against Hinata’s back until he stops struggling with a frustrated sigh. “What do you want?”

“What are you doing?”

“Texting Kenma, why?” 

“Oh,” Tobio perks up a little, pointedly ignoring the question. “News from the qualifiers?”

Hinata rolls his eyes, seemingly accepting his fate of being Tobio’s perch for the time being, and goes back to typing. “They’re getting ready to play their second match. They didn’t win the first time. Fukurodani is already through though, apparently.”

Tobio hums, trying to recall the brackets. “So the other Tokyo team that’s already qualified is Itachiyama again?” 

“Yep,” Hinata says without looking up. Then he jumps, suddenly, whirling around to look up at him excitedly. “Kageyama! Do you think that we will be able to play both Nekoma and Fukurodani this year?”

“That depends if both of them make it through the qualifier. And if the brackets allow it.”

Hinata grins. “And if we make it through the Miyagi qualifiers, I guess, but--” 

“--but of course we will,” Tobio finishes for him, with a self-assured smile on his lips matching Hinata’s own. 

  
  
  
  


**IV.**

“Hinata, _what the fuck was that?_ ”

“Language, Kageyama! The first years--”

“Who cares, what the hell do you think you were doing?”

“Uh-- hitting your toss? The same thing I’ve been doing for two and something years?”

People are already gathering around them, in part because of the commotion, in part because yes, Hinata had jumped and hit his quick like it was as easy as breathing, but he had also fallen. Badly. And if the noise he made hitting the floor wasn’t enough, the fact that he still hasn’t gotten up is an even better indication that something is wrong. Tobio frowns, a rebuttal ready on his lips, but Ukai and Takeda are already approaching them. 

“Did you hit something?” Takeda crouches down beside Hinata, looking worried. 

“No,” they both say at the same time, and Hinata shoots him a dirty glare, before muttering, “Only my pride. I landed badly, but I fell back on my butt.”

Tsukishima snorts somewhere behind him, but Tobio is too focused on the still sitting idiot to pay him any mind. “Your ankle,” he says instead, noticing how Hinata still hasn’t moved his left leg.

Predictably, Hinata sighs. “Yeah, it hurts a bit.”

“Can you stand?” It’s Ukai this time, looking at him attentively. 

Hinata tries to do just that, but as soon as he puts some weight on his ankle, he winces. For the first time, there’s a brief flash of panic inside his eyes as he meets Tobio’s own. Tobio knows what that means - the school year just started, but the Inter High prelims are already around the corner. They can’t afford him being off the court. Tobio _doesn’t want_ him off the court. Hinata has been so careful taking care of himself ever since the fever incident in their first year that this feels like a slap to the face. Everyone else is eerily silent, too, likely thinking the same thing.

“Yeah, no.” Ukai’s mouth is a thin line. “Can you move it at least?”

Tobio’s frown deepens, and he watches attentively as Hinata - slowly, very slowly, manages to move his foot a little bit, even if he grimaces. There is a collective relieved sigh, and a little bit of tension seems to seep from the air. 

“That’s good,” Ukai nods. “We need to apply some ice, and keep it elevated. Although it would probably be better to get it checked anyway.” 

“I can drive him to the hospital,” Takeda offers. “Just give me a couple of minutes, I need to warn the vice-principal and retrieve my car.”

“Thank you, sensei.”

“We have some instant ice packs in the clubroom,” Yamaguchi adds helpfully, smiling down at a crestfallen Hinata. “I can go get them.”

“I’ll just bring him up there,” Tobio sighs, earning a surprised look from almost everyone, Hinata included. “We were doing free practice together anyway, and he’ll just sulk if he stays here.” 

“Ehi!”

“Okay, I’ll leave him to you then, Kageyama. Just make sure he doesn’t put any weight on that ankle. And put something between his skin and the ice, or it will burn. Everyone else,” Ukai barks as Takeda starts sprinting towards the school building. “Get back to practice!”

Their teammates start to disperse. There is a very awkward moment when Tobio first tries to sling one of Hinata’s arms over his shoulders after helping him up, their difference in height making it impossible and probably ridiculous. He barks an insult, and Hinata fires one back without missing a beat, even if his tone is strained. Tobio sighs, reminding himself that this was his idea, and then crouches down.

Hinata blinks, balancing on one leg. “What are you doing?”

“Get on my back, dumbass, unless you want to get hit with a ball on your face too. We’re still in the middle of the court.” 

There’s protesting, of course, and some shuffling, but Tobio manages to get his hands under Hinata’s thighs and get up without causing another incident. He grunts a bit - the idiot’s heavy, despite being so small.

“Woah,” Hinata murmurs, gripping his shoulders. 

“What?”

“It must be nice being this tall all the time.” 

Tobio snorts, dragging both of their asses out of the gym and up the stairs to the clubroom. “Stop wiggling around so much or I’ll drop you, dumbass.”

“You know, it would sound more convincing if you hadn’t just given up what remains of practice to help me, Kageyama-kun~”

Tobio briefly contemplates the idea of letting him fall down the stairs right then and there, National championships be damned. 

His cheeks feel awfully hot. 

  
  


**V.**  
  
  


There are moments, when Tobio is on the court, that seem to happen in slow motion. 

It’s the third day of the Spring Tournament - _Hell Day_ \- and it’s the third set of their second match. It’s their quarterfinal game, everyone is tired beyond reason, their legs feel like lead, and they are at match point.

Yamaguchi serves - that wicked, _wicked_ jump floater that he has polished near perfection during the past three years - right between the two defenders. It’s a nasty spot, but they manage to bump it, and from there it’s a rapid processing of information. Ball trajectory. Setter. Stance. Three attackers. Hinata and Tsukishima moving, ready for the block, everyone else positioned to dive for the spike. Tsukishima’s familiar shout of “ _One touch!_ ”. Their libero getting under the ball at the last second. 

It’s not a perfect pass, but a good enough one for Tobio. Everyone knows it. _Everyone is ready_ , making their approach, demanding his set. 

It’s their third set of their second match on hell day, and Hinata is running to the opposite side of the court like he just stepped foot on it. Tobio doesn’t have to look to _know_. Like that one time in middle school, and like many others during the years they spent playing together, Hinata’s aura is calling him. He simply knows, as time seems to slow for a moment, where his set is going. 

Hinata jumps, _soars_ , with so much intensity he can’t help but command the other team’s attention. Tobio grins - can’t help it, really - as he changes his stance at the last second, sending a perfectly neat toss into Tsukishima’s waiting hand.

The path is clear. 

There’s the sound of the ball hitting the floor, then a never-ending second of utter silence, before the whistle of the referee signals the end of the game - and then the stands _explode_. 

This part is always quick, as opposed to the last rally. Tobio is still breathing heavily, fatigue finally catching up to him as if it was only waiting for a signal, as everyone rushes to the middle of the court towards Tsukishima, shouting and crying and celebrating. 

Hinata runs up to him instead, breathless and grinning like a madman, and Tobio grins back and raises both of his hands for what has become their customary high five. Except this time Hinata doesn’t stop, ignores his hands all together, and _flings himself directly at him_. 

Tobio staggers under the unexpected weight, arms wrapping around Hinata’s waist instinctively, eyes going a little bit too wide. 

“Kageyama!” Hinata shouts right against his ear, “We won! Did you see that? Did you see how everyone went to jump after me? Kageyama, _we get to play on center court!_ ”

He’s giddy with excitement, and Tobio suddenly is too. Hinata’s arms are squeezing a little bit too hard around his neck, he’s heavy and his feet are dangling some centimeters above ground; his body is a furnace against Tobio’s own, smelling strongly of sweat after playing for so long, and it should be uncomfortable by all means except that it simply feels perfect and so, so right.

“Yeah,” Tobio exhales, feeling warm all over for a thousand different reasons. “Yeah, we do.”

It’s their third and last time on the national stage as high school students, their last time as Karasuno players, and they just advanced to semifinals.

They are going to play on center court, and Tobio has never felt more ready. 

  
  
  


**+1**

“Oh, there you are.”

Tobio looks up from where he’s sitting behind the gym building, watching silently as Hinata jogs up to him. It’s not strange to find him here; in fact, they’ve shared this same place every lunch break ever since Tobio discovered it halfway through their second year. Very few people walk by it, which makes it an excellent spot to eat without being bothered and to sneak in some extra practice. What’s different than usual - and what has likely thrown Hinata off - is that Tobio generally waits for him at the end of the hallway, scolding him for being late as they walk there together. 

“Where else would I be, dumbass?” 

Hinata simply rolls his eyes, dropping down to sit beside him and bumping Tobio’s knee with his own in the process. There’s really no need to sit so close with all the empty space around them, but Tobio has stopped minding a long time ago. He peeks inside Hinata’s bento and steals an egg roll. His mom rarely has the time to cook him lunch, which means he’s usually stuck with whatever is sold at the cafeteria, and it really can’t hold a candle to Hinata’s mom cooking. There’s a bit of shoving around and fake-outraged yelling before they both settle down to eat. 

“So,” Hinata starts after a while, straightening his legs in front of him. “The Schweiden Adlers, mh?”

“... yes?” Tobio replies, eyeing him with a frown. “I already told you about it.”

“Obviously.” There’s a huff, and an elbow digging into Tobio’s side, making him grunt. “So?”

“So what?”

“So, were you thinking about your upcoming professional debut?” Hinata must see something on his face, because he grins. “Ha! You were! Don’t give me that face, there aren’t a lot of things that can make you space out and forget to wait for me like that, beside volleyball and… food, maybe? Besides, I’d be thinking about it aaaaaall the time too.”

Tobio eyes him for a moment, searching - and yes, there is undoubtedly some envy there, but there is also a lot of pride. He doesn’t know how exactly he can tell when he can barely figure out what other people are thinking most of the time, but with Hinata it feels more like instinct.

“Shut up, dumbass.”

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like Tsukishima.”

The look he gives him must be a perfect mirror of the outrage he’s feeling, because Hinata bursts out laughing immediately. Tobio grabs him by the hair - it’s longer and softer than usual, he notices - barking another insult. 

“Are you worried about it?” Hinata asks again, unrelenting, after he’s stopped giggling. 

“What? Going pro?”

“Yeah.”

Tobio snorts. “Of course not.” Going pro is not the problem. It’s what he’s always wanted. 

“Mmmh,” there’s a considering hum beside him, before Hinata speaks again, somehow dragging the words directly out of Tobio’s mind. “Yeah, you probably aren’t. I guess there are a lot of things that are going to change, though. No longer being at Karasuno, having to deal with new teammates and all of that.” 

_Missing a presence beside him that’s become something as familiar as the feeling of a volleyball between his hands. Having to earn the trust of new people._

“Well, we’ll both be in Sendai for a year or so at least. Do you think I could come bothering you for a toss or will you be too busy with training?”

“Shouldn’t you be more worried about _your_ training?” Tobio shoots back, mostly because he doesn’t want to admit how much he would like that. “You only have a year to prepare for Brazil. Shifting to beach out of nowhere is no easy thing.”

“As if I don’t know that,” Hinata sighs. _As if anything has ever been easy for him_ , is what he doesn’t say. “I’m sure I could manage some extra practice with you though.”

_I’d make time for you_ , it’s what is written between the lines. Tobio thinks about Hinata flying halfway across the world to challenge himself, to get better, to fulfill a three years old promise, and he has to look away before his face betrays him.

“I guess we could do that.” Then, before Hinata can shout his excitement, “Are _you_ worried about it?”

“Going to Brazil?”

“Yes.”

There’s a moment of silence. Two years ago, Hinata would have probably scoffed at the insinuation, unwilling to admit such a weakness in front of Tobio - the rival he had sworn to beat someday. Today, however, he exhales slowly after a bit.

“Only a fool wouldn’t, I think.”

“You’re not exactly known for your mind, though.”

Hinata elbows him again, and damn it, Tobio is gonna have a bruise on his ribcage by the end of the day. 

“You of all people don’t get to tell me that. Asshole.” 

“Dumbass.”

  
“Idiot.”

“Stupid.”

“You’re really one to talk. Are you sure you’ll manage to graduate? Won’t you be stuck forever in high school?”

The banter is easy, more like reflex at this point. There’s almost no bite in their words anymore. The silence that falls after is easy, too. 

“Hey, Kageyama?” Hinata breaks it after a while.

“Mh?”

“Do your best, okay? I’m still the one who’s going to beat you.”

Tobio wonders if he will ever manage to tell Hinata how much that promise means to him. He turns, looking him straight in the eyes like all the other times he’s heard this same challenge.

“Of course,” he replies, easily. Then, before he can overthink it, “Don’t make me wait too long.”

Hinata’s own eyes widen. He opens his mouth as his cheeks become visibly red, then closes it again. He twists his hands, clearly torn about something, and Tobio suddenly worries he’s given too much away. When he looks back at him again, though, he does so with a kind of determination that Tobio has never seen out of the court. 

“Kageyama,” Hinata says, uncharacteristically serious. “I’m going to do something very stupid.”

“What’s different than usual--”

Hinata _pounces_. Tobio barely has the time to be surprised, to wonder what the hell has gotten into the dumbass out of nowhere, before Hinata’s lips press against his own and all his thoughts screech to a halt. 

It’s… strange, in a way. There are no bells chiming in the wind or show stopping revelations like his classmates claim there should be, but Tobio is pretty sure his heart has never beat this fast in his entire life, not even when he set foot in center court two months ago. It’s probably also strange because neither of them is moving at all, at least until Hinata tries to scramble away, likely panicked by his lack of response. It’s an instant wake up call, and Tobio doesn’t even have to think about it - he grabs him by the arm, and kisses him back. 

Hinata makes a small, surprised noise against his lips, and Tobio sort of wants to make him do it again. He doesn’t really know what to do - and Hinata doesn’t either, if the way he keeps pushing against him a little too hard is any indication - but he’s somehow not concerned about it at all. Tobio sighs, Hinata tilts his head a bit, and suddenly it’s just right. 

It feels nice. Warm. Reassuring and familiar in a way it absolutely shouldn’t be, considering this is the first time Tobio has ever kissed another person, but somehow with Hinata it just _is_. 

By the time they come up for air, one of Hinata’s hands is buried in Tobio’s hair and Tobio has an arm around Hinata’s waist, their bodies closer than they’ve ever been. There’s an amazed surprise in Hinata’s eyes that Tobio is pretty sure is mirrored in his own.

“Kag--”

“I like you!” He blurts, before Hinata can say anything else. 

Hinata looks taken aback for the entirety of an instant, and then he’s somehow blushing _again_ , muttering something under his breath.

“What?”

“I said,” he repeats, struggling to fight back a smile. “That you better not think you’ve won just because you said that first. I was the one who kissed you.”

It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous and Tobio is tempted to push back, because he can’t help but be dragged along with whatever stupid competitive thing Hinata comes up with, but this time - just this time - he thinks he can let him have this. He can, because it’s far, far easier to just lean forward and kiss him again. 

It is, he discovers, an excellent way to shut the dumbass up.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me about haikyuu on twitter at @choayako_


End file.
